Covey Run Winery

Covey Run Winery

Washington Wine, Columbia Valley

About Covey Run Winery

History

Since 1982, Covey Run has crafted a broad range of award-winning wines – including 20 “Best Value” awards from Wine Spectator magazine – from prized vineyards in the renowned Columbia and Yakima Valley appellations of Eastern Washington State. Sheltered from storms by the rainshadow effect exerted by the majestic Cascade Mountain Range, conditions in these high desert regions are ideal for cultivating world-class wine grapes. Warm, sunny days and extended sunlight hours (due to Washington’s northern latitude) develop intense flavors in our classic European grape varieties, while cool nights ensure they retain high levels of acidity.

Covey Run winemaker Kate Michaud transforms this pristine fruit into a broad range of consistently superior wines that embody Washington State’s unique characteristics while meeting and surpassing international standards of excellence.

Kate crafts two tiers of outstanding Covey Run varietals: Quail Series and Columbia Valley Reserve. Quail Series provides discerning wine drinkers with high-quality Washington State wines for everyday enjoyment. They’re varietally distinctive, fruit-forward, easy-drinking and ideal for casual meals. Columbia Valley Reserve wines are hand-crafted from our finest lots of grapes and showcase lush, vivid fruit flavors balanced by bright natural acidity, with oak accenting rather than dominating the palate. They beautifully accompany a broad range of contemporary cuisines and are perfect for special-occasion dinners and other celebrations.

Vineyards

Washington is America’s second largest wine-producing state (after California), with 500 wineries and over 31,000 acres of vineyards. It produces a diverse array of premium wines, from over 20 leading varietal types, that increasingly are acknowledged as among the world’s finest.

The overwhelming majority of Washington's grapevines are planted east of the Cascade Mountain Range in desert-like conditions that provide an ideal climate of warm days and cool nights, producing grapes with intense fruit flavors and lively acidity. Because the vines are planted on their own roots rather than grafted onto rootstocks (almost all modern European and California vines are grafted), Washington State vines are pure European vinifera and produce fruit with exceptional varietal personality.

Washington‘s climate varies considerably from west to east. The expansive Cascade Range creates a rainshadow effect resulting in prolific rainfall west of the mountains (an average of 50” annually) and very dry conditions to the east (8” annual rainfall). Additionally, temperatures in Eastern Washington drop dramatically at night during the summer months. This diurnal variation is critical to quality grape development, resulting in wines with concentrated, well-structured flavors that pair beautifully with food.

Covey Run Chardonnay

The wine is bursting with flavorsof apples, pears, bananas and tropical fruit, along with soft hints of vanilla and toast. Made to be served with food, yet is also well-suited as an aperitif.

Covey Run Dry Riesling

Covey Run’s Dry Riesling contains just enough residual sweetness to round off the racy acidity and citrus peel flavors of the grape. Swirl a glass and smell the complex peach, melon and honeysuckle aromas. In the mouth, flavors of honey, nectarine and peach lead to a long and full finish.

Covey Run Cabernet-Merlot

The Covey Run Cab-Merlot is actually a blend of three grape varieties. Cabernet Sauvignon (42%) is blended for structure (acid and tannin), Merlot (41%) is blended for roundness and richness, and Cabernet Franc (17%) is blended for fruitiness and spiciness.